Dispensing apparatus.



. A. BOWERS.

. ERWIN & F

DISPBNSING APPARATUS APPLICA TION FILED JULYIO, 1914.

Patented Feb.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

H. E. EIR-WIN L F. A. BOWERS. DISPENSING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JULYIO, 1914. l, 127,215. Patented Feb.2, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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' vation of the same.

STATES PATENT FFME.

HEBBBRTB. BBWIN ANB FRANKLIN A.Y BOwBns, or NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, AssIGNoas To THB NEW BRITAIN MACHINE COMPANY, OB NEW BRITAIN, CON- NBCTICUT, A CORPORATION or CONNECTICUT.

nIsBENsING APPARATUS.

Application filed July 10, 1914. Serial No. 850,124.

'To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HERBERT E. EBWIN and FRANKLIN A.. BOWERS, citizens of the United States, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dispensing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to dispensing apparatus, the object of the invention being the provision of a device of this character which is simple in construction, easy to operate and by which the discharge of the articles can be properly governed.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of the lpresent speciiicationy we have shown in detail one of the several convenient forms of embodiment of the invention, which to enable those skilled in the art to practice the same will'be set forth fully in theY following description. `Vile do not restrict ourselves, however, to this disclosure; we may depart therefromin several respects within the scope of the invention set forth by the claims following said description.

Referring to said drawings: Figure l is a front elevation of a dispensing apparatus involving our invention. Fig. 2 is a side ele- Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, taken just abovegthe article-supporting means and looking in a downward direction. Fig. l is an elevation as seen from the right in Fig. l, with a cover plate consti tuting part of the casing, removed. Fig. 5 is a detail of article-supporting members.

Like characters refer to. like parts throughout the several views.

Dispensing apparatus involving our invention can be used with advantage in many diiferent connections. In the present'case it is constructed for receiving articles in the form of packets. The shape of these packages may vary. Asshown they are cylindrical, although as will be inferred, they can be of any other form. There is means for supporting these packets or equivalents and for effecting their delivery individually, and

the supporting means will vary in construction to conform`to the article to be received and vended. The supporting means in forth hereinafter consists of two rollers arranged side by side. The control of the article supporting means may Abe of any de- Specication of Letters Patent.

the particular shape of the organization set.

iljatenrted Feb. 2, 1915.

sirable character. `We prefer, however, to govern the action of the supporting means through coin-controlled mechanism, from which it will be evident that before an article can be obtained, it is necessary to insert a coin of proper denomination or an analogous device, into the machine. The check-y controlled mechanism may vary radically as to character, although we will hereinafter describe means which have been found satisfactory in this particular.

`With the foregoing` generalvobservations,

it 'is now desirable to refer more in detail to what is illustrated in the drawings.

The articles, of whatever character the)7 may be, may be disposed within a casing such as that denoted in a general way by 2, said articles being directly received within the vertically elongated compartment or chamber 3 of said casing or boxing 2 which as shown rest on its base. The width of the compartment equals approximately the length of the articles to be vended which articles in the construction' shown are of cylindrical form. The body of the casing has in its front a vertical slot or opening 4C which is widened laterally as at 5 near its upper end to receive the articles. These articles are introduced into the compartment 3 by way of the enlarged portion 5 of the slot, one at a time and fall onto the articlesupporting means. The slot 4: is covered by the removable face plate 6 held normally in place under lock and key and by dismounting which access can be had to the Vcompartment 3 for loading the same. One

wall of the casing or box 2 presents one wall of the compartment or'chamber 3, the other wall of said compartment consisting of the plate 7 which extends to a point below the article supporting and Vdispensing or delivering mechanism.- Spaced between the wall or plate 7 and the adjacent wall of the bo-X lor casing 2 is a. short plate 8 and between and secured to the plates 7 and 8 is disposed als duplicate rotary members 11 and l2 movable about parallel axes. Although the two members may be of any desirable shape, they intermeshing gears between the same, provided that sald members 11 and 12 be released or freed which condition in the orare preferably cylindrical, 'each having a ganizati i illustrated, requires a coin. '0n 5, body or core 13 in the form of a shell apeach intermittent operation of the mecha- 70 proimately half cylinder, so that each nism each of the members 11 and 12 is given lbody is therefore pocleted or channeled on a half turn, this being regulated through the its operative portion, the construction being check or coin controlled mechanism of Whatsuch, however, that when the pocket or cavever character the same may be. 1t will be ity of one core or shell is up, the other Will assumed thatv the parts 11 and 12 are freed 75 be down. These two members 11 and 12 and that the handle 21 is given a half turn. present the bottom of the compartment or As it is thus operatedvit rotates the gear 19 chamber 3, to Which We have already alluded. and through the latter the member 11 and Each of the members 1l and ..12 has at its also the member 12, through the gear 20, in- 15 ends heads which as shown are 0f disk form7 Verting bOtllvSaid parts 1l and 12 SO aS t0 8() the heads or ldisks at one side of the machine bring the open or pocketed side of the membeing'denoted by 14, 'Whilethose at the other ber 1-1 up and move the pocketed side of the are designatedby ,15. lThe heads or disks 14 member 12 down. When thel part 12 is reare shown equipped With journals or gudversed the article seated Within it of course geons 16'to rotatively fit bearing openings passes therefrom for instance onto thein- 85 in one Side of the boxing O1. @agi-ng 2,' the clined directing plate 22 along which it rolls heads lbeing equipped With shafts 17 and forwardand through the opening.25 in the 18 rotatively htting bearing Openings in the lOWer front Side of tliocasing 2. Vyhen the opposite side of said casing. As shown the upper side of the member 11 is brought up Y members 11 and 12 are slightly spaced or an article Will at once roll into it, so that 90 separated from each other and they are also when the member 11 is inverted on a second spaced from the front and rear Walls of the operation, the delivery action described will casing 2. When the article supporting me1n be repeated provided 'a coin be introduced i bers l1 and 12 are in either of their two norinto the machine. As We have already-stated 3'0 mal positions, the'side'edg'es of the pockets .there may be Cases Where the coin or check 95 or seats therein' are approximately horizoncontrolled mechanism'neednot bepresent. tally alined. 1n F igs.' 3', 4 and" 5 the two Coaxial 4with one of the members 11 and parts l1 and-12 are shown as occupying 011e l2, the member 12 aS SllOWIl, 1S the IaCllet of their said two normal positions, the open Wheell 24, having in its periphery the dial; side of the member 12 beingup, While the metrically-.opposite notches25 and 26,v this 100 openfside' of the `)member 11 is' down. On ratchet-Wheel being suitably rigidly conthe introduction' of the articles into the comnected. With the Shaft 18 and spaced from partment 3 by Way of the enlarged portion the gear 20 for areason that Will hereinafter 5 of the slot4 the iirst may drop `directly appear. `In conjunction With this ratchet 40 into the pocket or seat. of the member 12 or Wheel or equivalent member is a` locking de 105 it may fall onto the upper convex side or vice such as the pawl A27 pivotally mounted closed'sidefof the member 11 in which latter at one end Within the casing 2. To the epn` event it will be directed by saidconvex side posite end of the-'pawl 271 is connected one l into said pocket.v The articles subsequently end 'of a coiled pull'spring 2S, the oppositel v4&5 introducedstack up impairs.; AWhile in the endV of Which is united With some suitable 110 present 'Cas'ethe Supportingjand-vending fixed part of the casingsoV as to constantly members 11l and- 12 are arranged to rotate maintain the tooth 29 of said vpawl in operain opposite directions and! simultaneously, tiveepositiomsaid toothV being adapted to this is not alwaysnecessar'y.- 'For'eifecting alternately enter the notches 25 and26 of' their simultaneous;oppositel `rotation they said ratchet wheel' 24, being shown in the 115 may be suitably geared together. Eastened notch' 25 in F ig. 4. Connected and rotary v to the head Or disk 15 of the member l1l is with the shaft 19 are the armsBO and 31, the spur gear 19 concentric with said memconstituting suitable coin-carriers and which ber 11, While the head 15 of the companion may ble made integral'l with each other and member 12 has rigidly united With it a simiextend'radially from said shaftin opposite 120 vlar spur gear 20 concentric also With the said ,directions in the space Abetween` theratchet member 12, the two spur gears being intmesh fwheel'24 'and-gear 20. Each of the arms with each other. yThe shaft 17 as illustrated has a coin seat 32, said coin seats facing in projects outside the casing and is provided opposite directions. On the locking element vwith an actuator suchas the arm 21 pinned v or lpavvl 27 and extending inwardlyrthere-l25 or otherwise suitably fastenedl to the' 'prjecting end of said shaft 17 and the opposite from is a stud 33., `normally. opposite one orv the other of the coin-seats just mentionedl porting members 11 and 12, by virtue of the,v

branches of which can be easily grasped to g; .and'servin with the same, to temporarily` turn the shaft 17 and therefore the twosup- :hold the com of Whateverdenomination the i? same may be. The size of each of the i392 lshown in Fig. 4.

notches and 26 is greater than that of the tooth 29 so as to permita certain amount of lost motion between the ratchet 24 and the locking pawl 27, one wallof each notch be ing normally maintained in solid engagementvvith said tooth 29, as will hereinafter appear, so as to hold an arm or 31) in proper position to receive a coin.

It will be assumed that a coin. has been introduced into the machine and is traveling along the chute or runway 9 and further that the parts'are occupying the positions As the coin leaves the discharge end of the chute or runway, it falls into the space between the pocket 32 and the stud 33 and is thus held. Owing to the fact that the tooth 29 abuts against oneI Wall of the notch 25, the ratchet 2a can have a certain amount of lost motion. It will be supposed that there is a coin inthe pocket 32 and against the stud 33 and that the pawl ltis occupying the position shown in said Fig. 4:. As the handle 2l is turned in the manner already described, the two members 11 and 12 are turned. During the initial motion of the ratchet wheel 24 that wall,oi'

the notch 25 which is spaced from the tooth 29 is approaching said tooth, the arms 3l and ,30 also turning, so that the coin sustained by the arm 30 will be carried around and acting against the stud 33 will lift the pawl 27 cleai of the notch 25, thereby freeing the ratchet-wheel 24 andthe parts associated therewith, turn of said parts can be completed. Vheai the small amount of initial movement has been completed the coin Willat once drop from the a-rin ofthe pocket 30 and will eni ter the money box or space in the casin 2 normally covered by the plate 34 held un er lock and key. When a half turn has been completed the tooth 29 will be projected into tation therewith are the oppositcly the notch 26 to again lock the parts and they will remain in such relation until a second coin has been introduced and has tripped the pawl 27. i l

Rigidly connected with the shaft'lS forrodisposed arms 35 and 36 which canbe formed by driving a pin through said shaft, said arms being adapted to coperate in alternation with the free portion of 'the coiled spring 37 mounted Within the boxing. Said spring presents a positioning spring being adaptso that the necessary half each pocketed to receive an artic'le, and` means for turning said members simultaneously in opposite directions, to eiiect the discharge of the articles therefrom.

2. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of article supporting members each pocketed, the pocket of one being normally up and the pocket of the other'beingl normally down, and intrmeshing gears connected with the respective members for simultaneously causing the rotation oi' the same in opposite directions. i

3. In a 'machine voit' the class described, a .Y

plurality of article approximately duplicate form rotative about .parallel axes and each pocketed, the positions of the `pockets 'being constantly reversed, and means for causing positively Ja simultaneous opposite half rotation of said members. i

1l. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of article supporting members each pocketed to receive an article, and means for operating said article supporting members'to cause one to releasean article in the pocket tliereorq and the pocket of the other to be positioned lto receive an article.

5. In machine of the class described, a pluralityA of article supporting members each pocketed to receivey an article, and means for simultaneously .rotating said article supporting' members in opposite direc.

tions to cause oneto release an article iii the pocket thereofl and to bring the pocket of the other into position to receive -an article.

In testimony whereof We affix oursignatures in presence of two'witnesses. HERBERT E. ERWIN. A FRANKLIN A. BOWERS.

Witnessesa: Y V

ALICE J. FITZdERALD,

KATHRYN J. ONEIL.

supporting members of 

